Sealing machine



Nov. 7, 1939. E. HOGG 2,178,664

I SEALING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 1 10R. '1 Enmsow 1#066.

um/w ATTORNEY.

Nov. 7, 1939. E. E. HQGG 7 2,178,664

SEALING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 /05 E WI/#111 o4 I3INVENTOR.

EMERSON 5 H066 ATTORNEY.

Nov 7, 1939. E. E. HOGG 2,178,664

SEALING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21. 193? e Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

[nmsou #066.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 7, 1939. E. E. HOGG SEALING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1957 6Sheets-Sheet 5 m6 wm m ma i M n N R O T T A Nov: 7, 1939. E. E. HOGG2,178,664

SEALING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, I 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENT OR.

fMmso/v E. h 6. BY 22 TTORNEY/ Patented Nov. 7, 1939 SEALING MACHINEEmerson E. Hogg,.New Kensington, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company ofAmerica, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationJanuary 21, 1937, Serial No. 121,414

16 Claims.

This invention relates to machines of the class generally known assealing machines, and relates particularly to machines for afdxing tocontainers.

closures having retaining bands.

Closures comprising a cup-like cap and a looking band forming the lowerportion of the skirt or attached thereto are well known. A closure ofthe latter type, for instance, is disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No.1,908,245, granted to me. Most closures having locking bands are aflixedto containers by means of skirt conformations such as screw threads, sothatthe locking bands serve to protect the sealed packages fromundetectable tampering with the contents thereof. In order to affixcompletely a closure that includes a looking band, whether the skirtconformations be preformed or formed during the sealing operation, it isnecessary to force enough of the locking band under an adjacent part ofthe container finish to accomplish the aflixation thereof. Hitherto theaflixation of such closure in commercial practice at least has been atwo-station sealing operation, and this has been a serious disadvantagein sealing practice. It is the primary object of this invention toprovide a machine that will completely amx closures including a lockingband integral with the cap skirt or secured thereto at a single sealingstation.

Among the other objects of this invention is the accomplishment of thispurpose by means of a sealing machine having a simple and adjustablytimed relationship between the operations of securing the cap and thelocking band portions; to provide a sealing head which accommodatesvariations in container finish without crushng the container; to providea sealing head in which the locking'band portion of the closure issecured by radial pressure applied about the circumference thereof andthe cap portion is secured by progressively rolling the cap intoconformity with the container finish, as disclosed in U. S. LettersPatent No. 1,684,892 granted to John E. Sharp.

These and additional objects and advantages of this invention will bebetter understood when considered in the light of the detaileddescription socompanying the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing one embodiment of theinvention, including operating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the sealing head;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the sealing headtaken substantially as indicated by the line III--Il1 of Fig. 5 and Fig.6;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the various sealing headparts in operative positions;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a. horizontal sectional view taken on the line VI--VI of Fig.3; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the lineVII-VII of Fig. 2.

The machine shown in Fig. 1 consists of a frame or housing III thatcontains driving means suitable to actuate the belt II and the shaftupon which the eccentric cam 12 is mounted, the shaft and cam beingdriven through a suitable clutch controlled by the foot pedal Hi. Thehousing ID. has on one side two projecting arms l4 and I5 which supporta vertically reciprocable shaft l6 preferably provided at its lower endwith an idler roller I I that rides the cam l2. The upper end of theshaft 16 carries a screw I8 to which is secured a cross-arm I9 and a.rest 2ll'to support a container such as the bottle 2|, to which a 010-.sure such as that indicated at 22 isto be applied. The shaft l8 has aportion of reduced diameter 23 which provides a shoulder to carry thespring seat 24 and the spring 25.

Extending upwardly-from the housing I0 is a standard 26 which includestwolaterally extending brackets 21 and 28. Bracket 21 supports a shaft29, upon both ends of which idler belt pulleys such as that shown at 30are mounted at a distance suflicient to permit the belt II to clear thestandard 26. The bracket 28 supports, by means of a large boss 3|, thesealing head which is generally indicated at 32 and an adjustablyretained spring 33 for maintaining sealing pressure upon the top of theclosure during the sealing operation.

For convenience in description the details of the rest 20 as shown inFig. 2 will precede the description of the sealing head 32 shown therein elevation and by the succeeding figures in section. The rest 20includes a suitable resilient paid 34 and a centrally apertured boss 35having a shoulder 38. The screw l8 has a smooth upper end 31 of reduceddiameter adapted to fit into the boss 35 of the rest. 20 which issecured thereto by the headed screw 38. Below the boss 35 the screw l8carries a spring seat 39 threaded.

thereon, between which and the bottom of the rest 20 there is located aspring 40 which serves to hold the boss shoulder 36 against the head ofthe screw 38, and since the distance between the shoulder 36 and the endof the boss is less than the length of the reduced screw portion 31, aspring-loaded rest mounting is provided. The

rest 28 is vertically adjustable to accommodate containers of varioussizes by adjustment of the screw I8 in the shaft I8, and when adjustedis locked in position by the lock nuts 4| and 42 which also lock thecross-arm I8 to the screw I8.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, and particuiar'g; the former, the boss8| has a central aperture within which a sleeve 48 having a lowerflanged end 44 and an upper exteriorly threaded end 48 is anchored bythe nut 48. The sleeve 48 fits within the hub portion 41 of the housins48 hich is secured to the boss II by the sleeve Gauge 44 which fitswithin the hub recess 48. Suitably attached to the housing 48 is adepending annular trackway 88 having an inner cam surface 8I. Within thebore of the sleeve 48 is mounted a shaft 82 which is capable of verticalreciprocation and is prevented from rotating by a key 88 which fits akeyway of corresponding size in the body of the shaft 82 and projectsinto an elongated keyway 84 in the inner face of the sleeve 48.

The diameter of the shaft 82 is susbtantially the same from the upperend to the shoulder 88, below which it is larger and terminates in acircumferential flange 88. The shaft 82 is pro-, vided with -a'centralrecess extending approximately half its length from the lower end, whichrecess adjacent the open end has a threaded wall 81 to receivecomplementary exterior threads of a centrally apertured sleeve 88adjustably locked in position by the nut 88. The lower end of the sleeve88 is enlarged and is provided with a shallow recess 88 which, togetherwith the head 8| of the yielding plunger 82, forms a seat to receive thetop of the-closure cap during the sealing operation. The plunger 88 isslidably fitted within the aperture in the sleeve 88 and projects beyondthe upper end thereof into the recess of the shaft 82 where it issecured by the nuts 88 which serve as an abutment for one end of thespring 84, the other end thereof being seated against the end of therecess of the shaft 82. Journailed upon the shaft 82 and retained inposition by the circumferential flange 88 is a belt pulley 88 which,together with the hereinafter described parts, forms thread-rollingmeans for attaching the closure cap portions to a container. The centralhub 88 of the pulley 88 joined thereto by spokes 81 has interposed theaxial bore thereof and the enlarged portion of the shaft 82 a bushing88, and is spaced from the flange 88 and the pulley-securing nut 88 byrings I8. The hub 88 is provided with a lubrication fitting 'II tosupply the lubricant for the contacting surfaces of the bushing 88 andthe shaft 82. If desired, ball bearings or the like and suitable racescan be substituted for the bushing 88.

with reference now to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, rock shafts I2 extendthrough bosses formed in the pulley hub 88, to each of which shaftsidentical thread-rolling parts are attached. These parts will thereforebe described with reference to a single shaft. A two-part lever iscarried-by a rock shaft12 above the supporting pulley boss,.

' rock shaft so that itis supported by the boss 88 of the lower part andconsists of a boss 84 and an arm 88 extending from the boss, which armcarries a roller 88 and has depending therefrom a lug 81 adapted tocontact the lug 82 of the lower lever part. Both of the lugs 82 and 81are apertured to receive a bolt 88 which extends beyond the dependinglug 81 and has a spring 88 interposed the lug 81 and the nut 88 for thePu pose of forming a yielding connection between the two parts of thelever. Each arm II has an eyelet 8|, the eyelets of the several armsbeing joined by means of springs 82, as shown in Pig. 5, to keep therollers 88 in contact with thecam surface 8I.

- Attached to the lower extremity of each rock shaft 12 is an arm 88having at its free end an apertured boss 84 which supports a rollingtool comprising a stub shaft 88 and a rolling disc 88 attached thereto,the lower portion of the stub shaft 88 being journalled in the apertureof the boss .84 with a bushing 81 interposed, and the upper end being ofreduced diameter and carrying a nut 88. Interposed the nut 88 and a seatwasher 88 and resting upon the boss 84 is a spring I88. to permit therolling disc 88 to follow progressively thefinish of the containerduring the sealing operation. The thread-forming means just described,along with the belt pulley 88, form a rotatable portion of the sealinghead 82, which portion as described is supported by the shaft 82 whichis suspended from the boss 8I and is secured thereto by the lock nut I8Inormally seated upon the washer I82.

The threaded upper end of the shaft 82 extends beyond the lock nut IMand has adjustably secured thereto, between the lock nuts I88 and I84, across-arrn I88. The lock nut I88 also serves as a seat for one end ofthe spring 88 which has as an abutment for the other end a plate I88suitably secured as by nuts to the tie bolts I81 and I88, the heads ofwhich are retained, respectively, by the small lateral bosses I88'andII8 of the boss 8|.

The cross-arm I88 supports the band-securing or clinching mechanismwhich will now be described in detail with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4,and '1. This mechanism is carried by a twopiece base III consisting of acentrally apertured upper portion,II-2 secured to a centrally aperturedbase plate H8. The base III is rigidly connected to the cross-arm I88 bymeans of two tie rods II4. Since both rods are similarly secured, thedescription will be limited to the rod II4 as shown in Fig. 7. A reducedupper end III of the tie rod extends through the apertured end of thecross-arm I88 and is secured thereto against the shoulder ill by the nutH8. The lower end H8 is threaded and is preferably of reduced diameterto provide a shoulder I28 which serves as a stop in attaching the rod tothe base portion I I2 by means of a threaded recess therein. Between thepoints of'attachment the tie rod passes through an aperture in thehousing 48 which is fitted with a bushing I2I topermit relative movementbetween the housing 48 and the base I I I. A lubrication fitting I 22(Fig. 2) is preferably provided to permit lubrication of the contactingsurfaces of the tie rod and bushing.

The base III carries a plurality of horizontally reciprocable fingersradially disposed in recesses formed by the base portion H2 and the baseplate II8. Although the illustrated embodiment of the invention haseight such fingers (Fig. 8), this number is optional and any numberr'nay be used'that will force enough of the locking band beneath anadjacent retaining bead to fasten the bandto a container. Since-thefingers and finger-operating mechanisms are identical, the

scribed with reference to a single finger and its operating mechanism.

The finger m is fitted within a recess in formed by a suitable channelin the base portion H2 and the adjacent surface of the base plate H3.The finger I23 tapers toward an arcuate inner end I25 (Fig. 6), so thatwhen the fingers are simultaneously reciprocated toward the locking bandthey fit together to encircle the band. Near the outer end each fingeris provided with an aperture I25 adapted to receive one end of a smallbell crank lever I21 which is pivotally secured to a yoke I28 by asuitable pin I29, the yoke being formed by two upstanding lugs integralwith the upper surface of the base portion H2. The other end of the bellcrank lever is pivotally secured to a clevis I30 by a clevis pin I3I.The clevis is secured to a bolt I32 the headed end I33 .of which isretained by an apertured lateral boss I34 of the housing 48 throughwhich the shank of the bolt I32 passes, the other end being threadedinto a similarly threaded aperture of the clevis I30 and locked inposition by the nut I35. Extending through the aperture of the boss I34and encircling the bolt I32 is a bushing I35 having a lateral flangeI31, the barrel of the bushing being greater in length than thethickness of the boss, so that the flange is normally spaced from theboss. The under side of the flange surface provides an abutment for thespring I38 which is seated upon the nut I39 which, with the lock nutI40, can be advanced or retracted on the threaded shank of the bolt I32to vary the loading of the spring. A washer I is preferably interposedthe boss I34 and the headed nut I33 of the bolt I32 to provide a seattherefor.

In order to prevent the container 2I from being subjected to thecompressive force of the entire head when elevated during the sealingoperation, the brackets I42 and I43 are provided which will be describedwith reference to bracket I42 (Fig. 7). The preferred bracket shape isthat ofa shallow U having apertured bosses I44 and I45 at each end. Thebracket is attached to the base III by a bolt I45 extending through the.

apertured boss I44 and threaded into a similarly threaded recess in thebase portion I I2 located immediately below the recess by which the tierod 4' is attached. Extending through the lower boss I45 and securedthereto as by a pin I41 is a depending rod I48 which enters theexternally threaded sleeve I49 extending through a similarly threadedaperture in the cross-arm I9, which sleeve is adjustably locked inposition by nut I 50. The brackets I42 and I43 are pref- I erably bracedby a tie rod I5I secured to each bracket.

The closure 22 to be applied to the externally threaded neck of thereceptacle, as shown in Figs. '3 and 4, is of the two-piece typeconsisting of a skirted closure cap I52 having a sealing gasket I53 anda locking band I54 depending from the closure cap I52. The form of theclosure before its application is shown-in Fig. 3. Upon the conclusionof the sealing operation the closure cap I52 has been rolled intoconformity with the threaded neck of the container and the lower edge ofthe locking ban'd I54 has been forced under an adjacent bead of thecontainer finish; as shown in Fig. "4.

The operation of the machine described with reference to the drawings isas follows:

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the various parts of the machine are shown in theirrelative positions at the beginning of an operative cycle. At this pointthe eccentric cam I2 has turned uppermost the portion of shorter radiiso that the rest 25 is fully retracted to deceive freely a container 2|which has its mouth enveloped by a loosely positioned closure 22.

Upon rotation of the cam I2 the container and the parts supported by theshaft I5 are raised toward the sealing head. The cap portion of theclosure contacts the head 5| of the projecting plunger 52 during thisupward travel (Fig. 3) and carries the plunger upwardly until the head5| thereof fits within the apertured sleeve 55 to form, together withthe shallow recess 59 thereof. a complete can seat. The rest 20 is ad-Justed so that elevation of the shaft I5 after this seating until thesleeves I49 contact the bracket bosses I45 creates a top pressureagainst the closure part I52 that compresses the gasket I53 into sealingrelationship with the mouth of the container; this pressure if excessiveis relieved by the yieldable rest mounting and is maintained throughoutthe'sealing operation by the spring 33 as it exists at the time thesleeves contact the bosses. Rotation of the cam I2 until its portion ofmaximum radius is uppermost now causes simultaneous upward movement ofthe closure-securing mechanisms of the sealing head 32 relative to thehousing 48 and the trackway 55 attached thereto, since the container andthe cross-arm I9 raise the shaft 52 and the parts attached theretoagainst the spring 33, which movement actuates both the spinning discs95 and the fingers I23.

During this upward movement the rotatable parts of the sealing head 32are moved upwards axially of the shaft, causing the arms to be swungradially inwardly due to the coaction of the rollers 85 with theinclined portion of the cam surface 5|. The inward swinging movement ofthe arms 85 is transmitted through the yielding connection between thelugs 82 and 81' to the lower.

lever parts rigidly attached to the rock shafts. Oscillation of the rockshafts swings the arms 93 radially inwardly so that the peripheries ofthe rolling discs 95 are brought into'contact with the skirt portion ofthe closure cap I52 at a point near the open mouth of the container. Therelative positions of the rotatable parts of the sealing head at thispoint in the sealing operation, with the exception of the rolling discs95, are shown in Fig. 4, and the rolling discs at this point areforcibly but yieldably maintained against the skirt portion of theclosure cap I52. Rotation of the belt pulley 55 carries the severalrolling discs 95 around the neck of the container and the peripheries ofthe discs adjust their positions axially of the shaft 52 so that theyfollow progressively the thread-like formations in the container neck.In downwardly following these thread-like formations the discs graduallycompress the springs I09 until the discs reach the extreme lower regionof the thread-like formations, as shown in Fig. 4.

however, the upward travel of the finger-actuating bolts l32 is opposedby the springs I38, and as the upward travel of the base continues theloading of the springs increases and they are compressed, so that theupward movement of the bolts I32 is less than the upward travel of thebase.

This relative movement causes the bell crank levers I21 to turn abouttheir fulcrum points to produce radially inward movement of the fingersI23. The inward finger movement, when the initial loading of the springsI3! is adjusted to the preferred pressure, is completed at substantiallythe completion of the upward movement of the base Hi, so that thevarious parts of the entire sealing head 32 assume the positions shownin Fig. 4.

Completion of a single revolution of the eccentric cam l2 permits thewithdrawal of the sealed container from the sealing head to a positionfor free removal through the action of the spring 25 and the weight ofthe shaft [6, together with that of the parts supported thereby. As thesealed container is lowered the thread-rolling means carried by the beltpulley and the base Ill with its associated fingers and thefinger-actuating mechanisms are returned to the positionshown in Fig. 3as the final phase of the operating cycle.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that in the machinedisclosed the full inward movement of the fingers I23 to force thelocking band under the adjacent container bead occurs while the rollingdiscs 96 are in contact with the closure: For rapid operation, thistiming of the sealing head parts has been found preferable. However. ifdesired, it is possible to change this relationship by changing thecontour of the cam surface 5|. In this connection, it must be rememberedthat the exact moment of completion of the inward finger movement isdependent upon the loading of the springs I38; therefore, a wide rangeof adjustability is available with respect to completion of .the twosecuring operations. It should also be noted that the connection betweenthe independent finger-actuating mechanisms associated with each fingerand the fixed abutment provided by the bosses l 34 of the immovablehousing 43 is yieldable, permitting each finger to adjust itself toirregularities in container finish, so that the necessary radialpressure is provided without danger of crushing the bottle neck, an

advantage that also attends the yieldable connec-.

tion between the two-part lever carried by each rocker arm.

The embodiment by which the invention has been illustrated ischaracterized by numerous adjustable relationships of parts. Thecontainer rest 20 can be raised or lowered to accommodate containers ofvarying heights by adjustment of the screw i8 within the shaft l6. Toaccommo date locking bands of varying widths the operative level of thefingers I23 can be changed as desired by adjustment of the cross-arm I05upon the shaft 52. Obviously, the shaft 52 can be provided with a longerthreaded end, and the spring 33 elevated upon a seat that does not servefor both spring seat and lock nut, as does nut I03, so that thisadjustment for bands of greatly vary ing widths can be made withoutaffecting the loading of the spring 33. The radial pressure exerted bythe rolling discs 96 can be varied by adjustment of the resilientconnection of the two-part levers carried by each rock shaft and byvertical adjustment of the relationship between the rollers 36 and thetrackway 50.

Although the invention has been illustrated with relation to amanually-controlled machine adapted to apply a closure portion by athreadforming operation, there is no intent upon my part that theinvention should be so limited. It is apparent that the invention may beutilized withvarious types of machines; that is to say, the sealing headembodied in this invention might be duplicated in a machine to provide aplurality of heads with means for automatic conveyance of the containersthereto and therefrom either in a straight or circular'path.Furthermore, it is apparent that a substitution of means for attaching aprethreaded closure for the thread-forming means shown herein comeswithin the scope of this invention. With the intent, therefore, toinclude all modifications that come within the spirit of this invention,I claim:

1. A sealing machine comprising a support, a fixed abutment membersecured thereto, a vertically reciprocable shaft carried by saidsupport, thread-rolling means carried on said shaft for progressivelyforming thread-like securing conformations in a closure,horizcntally'reciprocable means supported by said shaft for constrictingsaid closure below said securing conformations, means for moving saidshaft relative to said abutment member, whereby said abutment membercauses movement of both said thread-rolling means and said constrictingmeans into operative contact with the closure.

2. In a sealing machine, a sealing head including means for peripherallyconstricting a closure, said means comprising a base adapted forvertical reciprocation, a plurality of horizontally disposed,reciprocable fingers carried by said base, a plurality of leversfulcrumed on said base, each of said levers being independentlyassociated with a single finger, and a plurality of lever rock rods,each being independently connected with a single lever and to a fixedmember of said sealing head, each of said rods being yieldably connected4 to said fixed member, each of said connections including a supportcarried by a rock rod and a spring interposed said support and saidfixed member, whereby relative movement between said base and said fixedmember positively but yieldably actuates said fingers. I

3. In a sealing machine, a compound sealing head comprising rotatablemeansfor securing to a container a closure retained by thread-likeconformations, means fixed against rotation cooperatively associatedwith said rotatable means for constricting said closure below saidretaining conformations, and a supporting shaft common to both saidmeans, said second mentioned means including a plurality of reciprocablepressure elements actuated in radial convergence against said closure.

4. In a sealing machine, a compound sealing head comprising rotatablemeans for securing to 00 a container a closure retained by thread-likeconformations, means fixed against rotation cooperatively associatedwith said rotatable means, for

constricting said closure below said retaining conformations, and asupporting shaft common to as both said means, said second mentionedmeans including a plurality of reciprocable pressureelements actuated inradial convergence against said closure during actuation of saidrotatable a container a closure retained by thread-like con- 1formations, means fixed against rotation cooperatively associated withsaid rotatable means, for constricting said closure below said retainingconformations, and a supporting shaft common to both said means, saidsecond mentioned means including a plurality of reciprocable pressureelements yieldably-actuated in radial convergence against said closure.

6. In a sealing machine, a compound sealing head comprising rotatablemeans for securing to a container a closure retained by thread-likeconformations, means fixed against rotation cooperatively associatedwith said rotatable means for constricting said closure below saidretaining conformations, and a supporting shaft common to both saidmeans, said second mentioned means including a plurality of horizontallydisposed, reciprocable pressure elements and a plurality of adjustableyieldable actuating means whereby each of said elements is independentlyactuated in radial convergence against said closure.

7. In a sealing machine, a compound sealing head comprising rotatablemeans for securing to a container a closure retained by thread-likeconformations, means fixed against rotation cooperatively associatedwith said rotatable means for constricting said closure below saidretaining conformations, said latter means includinga plurality ofreciprocable fingers horizontally disposed within a vertically movablebase and a plurality of adjustable actuating means for said fingersyieldably secured to said ,base and a fixed member, whereby relativemovement between said base and said fixed member independentlyactuhaving an adjustable, yieldable connection to a fixed member,whereby relative movement between said base and said fixed memberindependently actuates each of said fingers in radial convergenceagainst said closure.

9. A sealing machine comprising a support, a fixed abutment membersecured thereto, a ver-' tically reciprocable member carried by saidsupport, rotatable means carried on said member for securing to acontainer a closure retained by thread-like conformations, means fixedagainst rotation suspended from said member independently of saidrotatable means for constricting said closure below said retainingconformations, and means for moving said vertically reciprocable memberrelative to said abutment member,

' whereby said rotatable means and said second mentioned means areforced by said abutment member into operative contact with said closure.

10. A sealing machine comprising a support, a fixed abutment membersecured thereto, a vertically reciprocable shaft carried by saidsupport, rotatable means carried on said shaft for securing to acontainer a closure retained by thread-like conformations, means fixedagainst rotation suspended from saidshaft independently of saidrotatable means for constricting said closure below saidretaining'conformations,

said rotatable means and said second mentioned means having meansadapted to positively but yieldably contact said abutment member, andmeans for moving said shaft relative to said abutment member, wherebysaid rotatable means and said second mentioned means are forced by saidabutment member into operative contact with said closure.

11. A sealing machine comprising a support, a fixed abutment membersecured thereto, a vertically reciprocable shaft carried by saidsupport, thread-rolling means carried on said shaft for progressivelyforming thread-like securing conformations in a closure, horizontallyreciprocable means supported by said shaft for constricting said closurebelow said securing conformations, said thread-rolling means and saidconstricting means having associated therewith means adapted topositively but yieldably contact said abutment member, and means formoving said shaft relative to said abutment member, whereby saidthread-rolling means and said constricting means are forced by saidabutment member into operative contact with said closure.

12. In a sealing machine a sealing head including means for peripherallyconstricting a closure, said means comprising an abutment member, a basedisposed below said abutment member, a plurality of radially disposed,reciprocable pressure, elementscarried by said base, a plurality oflevers fulcrumed on said base, each of said levers being independentlyassociated with a single pressure element, and a plurality of lever rockrods, each being independently connected to a lever and to said abutmentmember, the latter connection for each rock rod includin a rod portionmovable through said abutment member and a resilient member supportedupon the rod intermediate said base and said abutment member, wherebyrelative movement between said base and said abutment member positivelybut yieldably actuates said pressure elements against the closure. t

13. In a sealing machine a sealing head including means for peripherallyconstricting a closure, said means comprising an abutment member, a basedisposed below said abutment member, a plurality of radially disposed,reciprocable pressure elements carried by said base, a plurality oflevers fulcrumed on said base, each of said levers being independentlyassociated with a single pressure element, and a plurality of lever rockrods, each being independently connected to a lever and to said abutmentmember, the latter connection for each rock rod being yieldable andincluding a rod portion movable through said abutment member, anadjustable support carried by the rod and a spring disposed intermediatesaid support and said abutment member, whereby the actuation of saidpressure elements may be timed by adjusting the loading of said springproduced by relative movement between said base and said abutmentmember.

14. A sealing machine including an abutment member, means for applying athread-retained closure to a container actuated by contact with saidabutment member, means for constricting the closure below the threadsthereof, a yieldable connection between said constricting means and saidabutment member, a supporting shaft common to both said means, and meansfor causing the relative movement between said shaft and said abutmentmember to actuate both said closure applying means and said closureconstricting means.

15. A sealing machine including an abutment member, means for applyins athread-retained closure to a container actuated by contact with saidabutment member, means for constricting the closure below the threadsthereof, a yieldable connection between said constricting means and saidabutment member, a supporting shaft common to both said means, and meansfor causing relative movement between said shaft and said abutmentmember, said yieldable connection including adjustable means permittingtiming of the actuation of said constricting means with respect to saidapplying means. a

16. A sealing machine including an abutment member, means for applying athread-retained closure to a container actuated by contact with saidabutment member, means for constricting the closure below the threadsthereof, a yieldable connection between said constricting means and saidabutment member, a reciprocable supporting shaft common to both saidmeans, and means for moving said shaft relative to said abutment member,said applying means being disposed on said shaft for actuating contactwith said' abutment member prior to actuation 01 said constrictingmeans, and said yieldable connection including a rod movable throughsaid abutment member and resilient means carried on said rodintermediate said abutment member and an adjustable support to opposemovement thereof, whereby the subsequent actuation of said constrictingmeans may be timed with the actuation of said applying means byadjusting the loading of said resilient means produced by relativemovement between said shaft and said abutment mem ber. V

EMERSON E. HOGG.

